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2010 EUROPEAN JUNIORS AND MASTERS BOPDYBUILDING AND FITNESS
CHAMPIONSHIPS
Donetsk, Ukranie
DONETSK
HOSTED THE BEST EUROPEAN JUNIORS AND MASTERS
by
Andrew Michalak
IFBB
Press Commission
This
year the best European juniors and masters met in Donetsk, Ukraine,
to run a battle for medals and titles. Donetsk, founded in 1869 by a
Welsh
businessman, John Hughes, who constructed a steel plant and several
coal mines in the region, is located in far east Ukraine and is a
center of the industrial region of Donbass. Probably, most of the
Championships’ participants walking along the streets didn’t realize
that coal mines lie directly under the city, which has been called
“the city of roses” and it’s true: everywhere in the downtown we
could see flower-beds with blossoming roses.
Ukrainian Bodybuilding and Fitness Federation, under the leaderships
of its President Igor Deliev, selected the big Sport Hall “Druzhba”
(“Friendship”) as a venue site. By the way, Ukrainian people are
very friendly and supportive to the foreigners, and we could feel
this everywhere: in the hotel, in the shops, on the streets. Many
teams decided to do special photo sessions on the banks of the
Kalmius River or in the neighborhood of the Atlas Hotel where a lot
of greenery and flower-beds could be found. Especially, because of
the hot (28 C) and sunny weather during the days of the
Championships.
The
Championships started with very interesting Press Conference at the
hotel, with over 20 journalists representing different media: TV
channels, press, magazines, websites. The Conference was opened by
Mr. Viktor Kirbaba, head of the
Governance
of physical culture and sport
in the Donetsk Region State Administration, who later
read a special message sent by the Ukrainian Olympic Committee
President Sergey Bubka, who grew up in Donetsk and has his monument
there. Journalists asked many detailed questions regarding physique
sports development, training, nutrition, doping problems, calendar
of events, healthy life style, anti-aging, etc.
IFBB
President Dr. Rafael Santonja answered to these questions in a very
logical, simple but exhaustive way. Replying to one question Dr.
Santonja said – “Training and sport nutrition are good for all of
us as well, not only for athletes. We are what we eat. Supplements
improve our health and our sport possibilities, doping products act
against our health. This is the difference. To be a top athlete you
need to have: genetics, determination and training.” And then he
added – “There are two news: good and bad. The good news is that
to be healthy and strong you need to train 20 minutes per day and
follow sport nutrition. The bad news is that you have to do it.”
It was a fantastic promotion of our sports and our life style.
With
exact 20 categories in the schedule, the finals took nearly 8 hours
but it was an interesting spectacle for the viewers as many top
European athletes performed on the stage. Among them there were many
newcomers at the continental level, both in junior categories and in
masters categories. The total number of competitors was a bit less
than a year ago, what was probably caused by the economical crisis
as well as by the remote destination. The other matter is the date
of these Championships, not the best for students who finish their
school year, passing exams and applying to the universities. IFBB
President, Dr. Rafael Santonja, supports the idea to move these
championships to the end of March or beginning of April, as much
better dates for students.
JUNIOR
FITNESS
IFBB
Judges Committee Chairman Pawel Filleborn proposed to change the
scoring system in fitness. The semifinals were scored as previously,
being composed of two rounds: routine and physical assessment and
the semifinal total scores decided who advanced to the finals (top
six). But in the finals, athletes, like in bodybuilding, began with
zero point status. They once again performed their fitness routines
but this time these routines were scored by the judges. This round
was followed by the physical assessment round which scores were
doubled to obtain 2:1 ratio between physical assessment and routine.
This system was immediately implemented at these Championships.
Junior women’s fitness
was dominated by the Slovak star Dominika Multanova, 18, high school
student from Liptovy Mikulas. It was not a surprise as Dominika
placed 3rd at the recent European Women’s Championships
in Novi Sad. In Donetsk Dominika won all rounds in up to 163 cm
category and took the title, moving up from the 4th place
last year. Then she also won the overall title.
In
the tall class,
over 163 cm, the battle was closer. New Ukrainian Team member Olga
Stepyna, 20, student from Dnepropetrovsk and former high-level
competitive gymnast, performed her routine with outstanding
elegance, precision, flexibility and perfect technique. But her
physique needs more quality, so in the final physique assessment
round she lost two points to the Lithuanian promising newcomer
Evelina Nikitina. Anyway, she managed to keep the first position and
brought the well-deserved gold medal for Ukraine.
In
junior men’s fitness
even more unstable situation. Romanian athlete Cristian Costescu
finished last in the routine round but won the physical assessment
round, what finally gave him the silver medal. Young Polish athlete
Bartlomiej Byjos, 17, won the routine but then dropped to the 3rd
position as his body needs to be more matured. The most successful
competitor was Algirdas Kubilius from Lithuania, placing 2nd
in both final rounds what gave him the gold medal. Algirdas, 17,
trains in the Tauras Gym in Marijampole.
JUNIOR
WOMEN’S BODYFITNESS
Both
junior women’s bodyfitness titles went to Slovakia. First, Nikoleta
Hrckova, 18, student of the Business Academy from Ruzomberok, after
losing the first round to Tanita Zetea of Romania, then won the next
two rounds and took the gold medal in the short class, up to 163
cm. Both were in similar shape but Zetea’s problem is a bit too
narrow shoulders.
The winner of the tall class, over 163 cm, Adela
Ondrejovicova, 20, presented body with no weak points. Student of
the Trencin University in Slovakia showed perfect body proportions
and fuller, nicely shaped muscles. All her bodyparts were
beautifully harmonized: calves, thighs, lats, shoulder width. In
this situation, she had no problem with winning the overall title as
well. I think she was one of the greatest and most promising
discoveries of these Championships.
JUNIOR
BODYBUILDING
As usual, these categories attracted many top level
junior bodybuilders and were very exciting. Both categories were
dominated by new, gifted athletes, who have all potentials to be a
great champions among the seniors in the not-so-far future. Russian
bodybuilder, Denis Avlasenkov – 21 years old weight training
instructor from the “Elite” Gym in Kaliningrad, won the
lightweight, up to 75 kg.
He
showed the physique of a genuine bodybuilder, with perfect shoulders
to waist proportions, short lumbar section and longer legs. Sooner
or later, he will be a champion in men’s 70 kg division.
Ukrainian newcomer at the international level, Mykhailo
Itchenko, unanimously won the heavyweight (over 75 kg) and
took the overall title. For sure, he is an athlete with tremendous
potentials, with fantastic overall physique contours and harmonized
muscular development. His bodyweight in Donetsk was 108 kg. He is 20
years old and studies at the Chernigov State University of
Technology. This bodybuilding “diamond” has been polished by trainer
Arseniy Melenevskiy. But the second bodybuilder in this class,
Wesley Gasparotto of Italy, also displayed top quality physique,
with massive and balanced muscle development. He is the next athlete
with great potentials.
And, finally, juniors men’s classic bodybuilding.
The battle was very close and unpredictable. The results of the
finals are completely opposite to the semifinals results, scored by
the other panel of judges. The winner of semifinals, Aliaksandr
Kazlou of Belarus, dropped to the 3rd place, while the 4th
athlete from semifinals, Rytis Janulevicius, advanced to the top
position. The second round (compulsory poses in the finals) was
decisive, while in the routine round three athletes were tied with
17 points each. Italian tall bodybuilder (184 cm) Stefano Scarlata
performed the best routine, moving up to the 2nd
position. But the differences between the top four were single
points only (39-41-43-47) and the order at the next contests may be
different.
Junior women’s bodybuilding attracted 5 athletes
but one of them was an unquestionable leader. It was Romanian
competitor Liana Pall, who repeated her success from 2009 but this
time it was a completely different athlete: matured, with shaped,
bigger and harder muscles and perfect “V”- taper upper body. She is
20 years old and studies at the Physical Education University in the
city of Sibiu. Silver medal went to the Polish athlete Andrea
Chorubczyk, who successfully moved from bodyfitness to bodybuilding.
ARE
THESE LADIES REALLY MASTERS?
Watching women’s masters categories people often ask: are these
ladies really masters? They looked so good that average viewer can’t
believe that human body can preserve so good shape and condition in
older age. This is a power of weight training and associated sport
nutrition. Master women’s bodyfitness has become one of the
most popular category and usually attracts many athletes. This time
it was also the longest line-up , with 12 athletes on the stage,
including well-know names like Olga Stepanyuk, Alessandra Settembre,
Maria Luisa Lopez or Jorun Steine.
But
this time there was only one queen: Tetyana Mikheychyk of Ukraine,
who few weeks ago won the European gold medal in the mixed pairs
category (with Vadym Vasylevskiy). Low-fat, hard body, with visible
separation in abs and thigh’s area was her main weapon in the battle
for the continental title. She works in the position of Director of
the Nika Tour Travel Agency in the far east Ukrainian city of
Lugansk.
The
next three athletes run an incredibly close battle for the rest of
medals. Finally, Stepanyuk, Settembre and Svitlana Shabelna received
60-60-61 points respectively and the scores from the third round
decided about their final order. What is very rare, the next two
competitors: Matenia Theodoru (Germany) and Jorun Steine (Norway)
were tied in all three rounds and in the final total (69:69). In
this situation, the scores of all judges in the third round had to
be compared what brought the 5th place to Theodoru and
the 6th place to Steine.
Master women’s bodybuilding
had not so long line-up this time, with four athletes only and
nobody from the 2009 contest. Ukrainian bodybuilder Tetiana
Skurenok, for whom it was the second international start after
taking the 5th place at 2009 World Masters in Bialystok,
Poland, advanced to the top position. She displayed slimmer but
harder body, with nice separation in the abs and thighs areas, what
was appreciated by the judges. Silver medal went to Oksana
Rozmarytsia, who also won the 2nd place at the 2010
European Women’s Championships in Novi Sad but this time was not so
hard.
MATURED
MEN BATTLE
Men’s
masters bodybuilding evolved into three age divisions and eight
bodyweight categories. Younger masters division, age 40-49, includes
four categories. In the lightweight class, up to 70 kg,
Romanian new competitor Vasile Craciun easily won over two Irish
athletes: Jim Butler and Gary Murray. Gradually progressing, Craciun
moved up from the last place in 2008 to the top position, showing
determination and competence (he is graduated trainer from the
Sports Academy).
In
the 80 kg category nobody could touch mechanical engineer from
Great Britain, Stephen Graham. Stephen has been performing since
2005 but has never entered the continental or world championships
finals before. Now he could participate in the masters division for
the first time and he was immediately successful. He displayed very
proportional physique with balanced muscularity and top conditions.
Silver medal winner Gennady Talantsev from Russia who presented
similar qualities.
90 kg category
had its great favorite, Jose Camacho from Portugal. Jose won the
2008 World Masters Championships and 2009 European Masters but came
to Donetsk not in the best shape, so he placed 4th in
semifinals. He definitely improved his conditions (separation,
definition) till the finals and advanced to the 2nd
position but still it wasn’t enough to defend the title against the
new challenger, Andrey Evtukhov from Russia. Evtukhov presented very
muscular physique, with rounded and full muscles (thighs, lats) but
has one serious defect: badly torn left-hand biceps.
There were 6 giants in the over 90 kg category.
The biggest one was Harald Seele from Germany, with 126 kg
bodyweight and 193 cm body height but he needs even bigger muscles
to fill his big frame in bodybuilding champion style. In this
situation, the other champion got the title – very well-known
Ukrainian bodybuilder Anatoliy Kudlay. He is a top master
bodybuilder of the world, winner of the overall title at the 2007
World Masters Championships. His overall muscle size and quality are
very impressive. His fantastic back development and details are rare
even in the men’s division. His bodyweight was 108 kg. The silver
medal went to a new challenger from Spain: Alfredo Fernandez Muniz.
It was his first international appearance after winning three
national titles. Nice, lighter physique with perfect body
proportions and balanced muscularity.
Over 50 years old big boys. Both categories had
their grand masters. Werner Zenk gave no chance to his rivals and
won all rounds in the up to 90 kg class. Werner won bronze medal at
the 2003 World Men’s Championships and was the champion of the 2005
World Games. He repeated his 2009 success in masters, showing at age
56 prefect body condition and wonderful body lines. It seems that
aging process doesn’t touch him. He still looks great. Sean Bullman
(Ireland) is also very experienced athlete, taking part in the iron
game since 1981 but can’t achieve the same level of body quality
like Zenk.
Similarly, over 80 kg category had the same type
of hero: Spanish athlete Inigo Ortiz de Mendibil. He also
unanimously won all three rounds leaving behind so good athletes
like World Championships runner-up Antonio Vergiani. He has began
his competitive career in 1987 but then had a break between 1990 and
2007. His international debut was done in a great style. Next two
places went to Turkish trainer from Istanbul, Bayram Kotahya and
Italian trainer and gym owner from Cassano, Antonio Vergiani.
Over 60 category winner Manuel Valbuena from
Spain is a bodybuilding phenomenon. At 67 he shows muscular, hard
and well-defined body. Real IFBB Grand Master and stage warrior. He
still is full of enthusiasm and determination. People appreciate his
look and his style. In Donetsk he received a bunch of flowers (and
kisses!) from his fun, young Ukrainian girl, who ran-up to the stage
after the awarding ceremony in this category. Really touching
moment.
Silver
medal winner was an economist from Vienna, Austria, Karl Hannig.
This time his happy wife entered the stage during the victory
ceremony and was dancing holding the Austrian flag in her hands.
This category releases a great amount of emotions and enthusiasm.
And they, grand champions, deserve for it.
Masters classic bodybuilding
is the quite new category in the IFBB, attracting more and more
competitors. Usually, there are two age categories: 40-49 and over
50 but this time only one athlete over 50 was registered, Marek
Dabrowski of Poland, so he performed together with younger masters
but received a separate gold medal in his class.
The
younger group was dominated by bodybuilder from Estonia, Taavi
Koovit, who is also a top world senior classic bodybuilder, winner
of the 2009 European Men’s Championships (over 180 cm class) and
runner-up of the 2010 continental championships. It wasn’t a
surprise that he unanimously won the masters title in his inaugural
performance in this age division in Donetsk. Showing full, hard and
well-defined muscles he impressed the judges and the audience.
We were
leaving Ukrainian land with nice memories and I am sure, we will be
back there as Ukrainian Federation is very active, hospitable and
has enough capacity.
PICTURES
OPENING CEREMONY
Mr. Pawel FILLEBORN, Dr. Rafael
SANTONJA and Mr. Viktor KIRBABA with beautiful Ukrainian hostesses.
MASTER WOMEN’S BODYFITNESS OPEN
Master women’s bodyfitness medal
winners (from L to R): Olga STEPANYUK (2nd place);
Tetiana MIKHEYCHYK (1st place); Alessandra SETTEMBRE (3rd
place).
2010 IFBB master women’s bodyfitness
European champion Tetiana MIKHEYCHYK (Ukraine) with the President
Santonja.
Svitlana SHABELNA (4th
place) during “T-walking” on the stage.
Second round comparison (from L to R):
Tetiana MIKHEYCHYK (1st place); Matenia THEODORU (6th
place); Olga STEPANYUK (2nd place).
Part of the second round line-up (from
L to R): Jorun STEINE, Olga STEPANYUK, Svitlana SHABELNA, Tatiana
ERSHOVA, Tetiana MIKHEYCHYK, Maria Luisa LOPEZ.
MASTER WOMEN’S BODYBUILDING OPEN
Master women’s bodybuilding: triple win
for Ukraine (from L to R): Oksana ROZMARYTSIA (2nd
place); Tetiana SKURENOK (1st place); Maryna
KHRYSTOFOROVA (3rd place).
2010 IFBB master women’s bodybuilding
European champion Tetiana SKURENOK (Ukraine) congratulated by the
IFBB President Dr. Rafael SANTONJA (right) and Ukrainian Federation
President Mr. Igor DELIEV (left).
Top comparison
(from L to R): Tetiana SKURENOK (1st place);
Oksana ROZMARYTSIA (2nd place); Maryna KHRYSTOFOROVA (3rd
place).
Tetiana SKURENOK in her routine.
MASTER MEN’S CLASSIC BODYBUILDING OPEN
Master men’s classic bodybuilding medal
winners (from L to R): Kurt STROHMAYER (2nd place); Taavi
KOOVIT (1st place); Ismet AKOVA (3rd place).
2010 IFBB master men’s classic
bodybuilding champion Taavi KOOVIT (Estonia) with junior bodyfitness
star Janika JURGERSON.
Taavi KOOVIT in his routine.
Marek DABROWSKI (Poland) was the only
classic bodybuilders over 50, so he received separate gold medal but
participated in one open category.
MASTER MEN’S BODYBUILDING 40- 49 YEARS
OLD, UP TO 70 KG
Master men’s bodybuilding 40-49 years
old, up to 70 kg medal winners (from L to R): Jim BUTLER (2nd
place); Vasile CRACIUN (1st place); Gary MURRAY (3rd
place).
Master men’s bodybuilding 40-49 years
old, up to 70 kg (from L to R): Gary MURRAY (3rd place);
Jim BUTLER (2nd place); Vasile CRACIUN (1st
place).
2010 IFBB master men’s bodybuilding
40-49 years old up to 70 kg European champion Vasile CRACIUN
(Romania).
MASTER MEN’S BODYBUILDING 40- 49 YEARS
OLD, UP TO 80 KG
Master men’s bodybuilding 40-49 years
old, up to 80 kg medal winners (from L to R): Gennady TALANTSEV (2nd
place); Steven GRAHAM (1st place); Kutbettin BULUT (3rd
place).
Master men’s bodybuilding 40-49 years
old, up to 80 kg (from L to R): Josef HRUBY (5th place);
Maurizio MINOCCARI (4th place); Jari LANE (6th
place).
2010 IFBB master men’s bodybuilding
40-49 years old up to 80 kg European champion Steven GRAHAM (United
Kingdom) congratulated by the UK Federation President Bill TIERNEY
(left) and IFBB President Dr. Rafael SANTONJA.
MASTER MEN’S BODYBUILDING 40- 49 YEARS
OLD, UP TO 90 KG
Master men’s bodybuilding 40-49 years
old, up to 90 kg medal winners (from L to R): Jose CAMACHO (2nd
place); Andrey EVTUKHOV (1st place); Andrea PARRONCHI (3rd
place).
Master men’s bodybuilding 40-49 years
old, up to 90 kg (from L to R): Andrea PARRONCHI (3rd
place); Franco DI BELLA (4th place); Christian MANASEK (5th
place).
2010 IFBB master men’s bodybuilding
40-49 years old up to 90 kg European champion Andrey EVTUKHOV
(Russia).
MASTER MEN’S BODYBUILDING 40- 49 YEARS
OLD, OVER 90 KG
Master men’s bodybuilding 40-49 years
old, over 90 kg medal winners (from L to R): Alfredo FERNANDEZ (2nd
place); Anatoliy KUDLAY (1st place); Sam HARRIS (3rd
place).
Master men’s bodybuilding 40-49 years
old, over 90 kg (from L to R):
Harald SEELE (4th place);
Marek ZAPOTOCZNY (6th place); Sam HARRIS (3rd
place).
Master men’s bodybuilding 40-49 years old, over 90 kg (from L to R):
Anatoliy KUDLAY; Pavlo CHERNOUS and Alfredo FERNANDEZ.
2010 IFBB master men’s bodybuilding 40-49 years old over 90 kg
European champion Anatoliy KUDLAY (Ukraine).
MASTER MEN’S BODYBUILDING 50- 59 YEARS
OLD, UP TO 80 KG
Master men’s bodybuilding 50-59 years old, up to 80 kg medal winners
(from L to R): Sean BULLMAN (2nd place); Werner ZAENK (1st
place); Oleg SHARIKOV (3rd place).
2010 IFBB master men’s bodybuilding 50-59 years old up to 80 kg
European champion Werner ZAENK (Germany).
MASTER MEN’S BODYBUILDING 50- 59 YEARS
OLD, OVER 80 KG
Master men’s bodybuilding 50-59 years old, over 80 kg medal winners
(from L to R): Bayram KOTAHYA (2nd place); Inigo ORTIZ (1st
place); Antonio VERGIANI (3rd place).
Master men’s bodybuilding 50-59 years old, over 80 kg (from L to R):
Oleksandr KULIKOV (6th
place); Alexander BARDIN
(5th place);
Bayram KOTAHYA (2nd
place).
2010 IFBB master men’s bodybuilding 50-59 years old, over 80 kg
European champion Inigo ORTIZ (Spain).
MASTER MEN’S BODYBUILDING OVER 60 YEARS
OLD, OPEN
Master men’s bodybuilding over 60 years old medal winners (from L to
R): Karl HANNIG (2nd place); Manuel VALBUENA (1st
place); Vladimir STEPANEK (3rd place).
Master men’s bodybuilding over 60 years old (from L to R): Adolf
HOPF (4th place); Karl HANNIG (2nd place);
Vasyl BEZPALENKO (5th place).
2010 IFBB master men’s bodybuilding over 60 years old European
champion Manuel VALBUENA (Spain).
Manuel VALBUENA receiving flowers from his fan.
MASTER MEN’S BODYBUILDING OVERALL
Master men’s bodybuilding overall
champion Anatoliy KUDLAY (Ukraine) congratulated by the IFBB
President Dr. Rafael SANTONJA (right) and Ukrainian Federation
President Igor DELIEV (left).
Master men’s bodybuilding overall
battle (from L to R): Anatoliy KUDLAY (1st place); Adrey
EVTUKHOV (2nd place); Stephen GRAHAM (3rd
place).
Master men’s bodybuilding overall
battle (from L to R): Manuel VALBUENA (6th place); Inigo
ORTIZ (5th place); Werner ZENK (4th place).
Master men’s bodybuilding overall battle: Werner ZENK vs. Anatoliy
KUDLAY (right).
Master men’s bodybuilding overall battle: Inigo ORTIZ vs. Manuel
VALBUENA (right).
THE BEST TEAM AWARDS
Happy officials from the best national
teams (from L to R): Vladimir DUBININ (Russia – 2nd
place); Vitaliy TALAVERA (Ukraine – 1st
place) and Marco TEATINI (Italy – 3rd place).
Ukrainian officials celebrating their
victory.
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